Monday, October 06, 2008

Bad Shoes and Fashion Demographics

Modern fashion should be a reflection of the times. It should be inclusive, reflecting the diversity of the population. It should also be respectful, treating women with dignity and recognizing their intelligence and their busy schedules. It should not insult them with hobbling skirts and debilitating shoes....Diversity is also essential to being a modern designer. Anyone fully and genuinely engaged in the world understands the growing diversity of high-end customers. Designers are constantly on the move, hunting for inspiration, parachuting into foreign cities for store openings and fawning over consumers in Asia and the Middle East. So it is not just politically correct frothiness that should compel a designer to cast a diversity of models in shows, it's also a savvy business move. To do otherwise makes designers look out of touch.

Children and youth have long been at the forefront of the country's increasing racial and ethnic diversity. By looking at the racial and ethnic composition of youth, we get a glimpse of what the U.S. working-age population might look like in 20 years if current trends continue. In 2007, 43 percent of people under age 20 were racial and ethnic minorities, and there were 489 counties—about one in seven counties nationwide—where minorities made up at least 50 percent of the youth population. An additional 274 counties had minority youth populations between 40 percent and 50 percent, meaning that minority youth make up at least 40 percent of the under-20 population in nearly one in four counties.